Improvement in corn-planters



'ZSheets-Sheet 1. A. M. SOUTHARD.

-CORN-PLANTER.

Patented Dec. 5,1876.

2 Sheets-Sheet Z.

A. M. SOUTHARD,

CORN-PLANTER.

Patented Dec. 5,1876.

OOC)

THE GRAPHIC C0N.Y

ABRAHAM M. SOUTHARD, or MARsHALLrovvN, ioWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN CORN-PLANTERS.

` Specitication forming part of Letters Patent No. 185, 140, dated December 5, 1876; application iled April '19, 1876.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM M. SOUTH- ARD, of Marshalltown, in the county ot' Marshall and State of Iowa, have invented an Improvement in Corn-Planters, of which the following is a specification:

My invention has relation to a check-row corn-planter, and is more particularly designed as an improvement on the implement of that class for which Letters Patent No. 169,307 were issued to me October 26, 1875.

rIhe invention consists, iirst, in the peculiar construction of the furrow-opener, forming also theseed-spout; secondly, the combination therewith of adjustable depth gages, and guards or Scrapers for leveling the earth in the path of the marker, as more fully hereinafter explained.

Figure l, Sheet 1, is a perspective view of the implement ready for operation. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section at w x, in Fig. l, with the fore end of the frame raised up to lift the furrow-openers from the ground. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a cross-section at y y in Fig. 2, showing the clutch-lever and connections in elevation. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal vert-ical section through a seed-box at z z, in Fig. 5, which is a transverse vertical section of the same at w w. Fig. 6 is a rear perspective view of afurrow-opener and its attachments. Fig. 7 is a perspective view o t' the same inverted. Fig.- 8 is a plan of the dropper-plates and their carrier-bar, and Fig. 9 a top detached view of the seed-plates, and the bar and frame through which they are reciprocated.

In the drawing, Arepresents the main frame, having the axle B journaled under it, and having a traction-wheel, C, upon each arm, each with two marking-plates, a, upon its rim, as described in the said Letters Patent. The inner end ot' each hub is notched to engage with a clutchbox, b, sliding upon the axle, and actuated-by a lever, D, pivoted to a girt in frame, through a connecting rod, c, pivoted.

to said lever above the fulcrum. The other rod c is connected thereto below the l'ulcrum, so that said clutch-boxes can be simultaneously adjusted, as shown in Fig. 3. The wooden bar lil, carrying at its outer end the guidemarking runner, as described in said Letters Patent, is divided in the middle of its length,

the two parts bein gcon nected by a plate-hinge, d, which enables it to be compactly folded tor transportation, or in moving about. When in use, a sleeve, e, is slipped over the joint, giving it sufficient rigidity, more especially as the strain is taken by the guy-rope E. G is the rock-shaft at the rear end ot' the frame, carrying the Scrapers g g for removing earth adhering to the rims ot' the traction-wheels and marking-plates. H is a brake mounted at each end ot' a rock-shaft, I, journaled across the frame, and actuated by atreadle,I. The object of these brakes is to compel the machine'to make up or regain lost distance without dropping seed, as set forth in the said Letters Patent. K K are the'seed-boxes in the front corners ot' the frame,'each having in its lower part two inclined bottom boards, h, one at each side, connected at the middle by a hollow semi-cylindrical bridge-piece, h', Fig.4, which serves asa saddle for a rib on the back of a cut-off plate, i, under which reciprocates the seed-plate P, adjustably secured to a har, Q, having a T- shaped prolongation, Q', to rear, terminating in a vertical frame, R, which, with all its connections, is twice in each revolution of the axle reciprocated by an arm, R', revolving with the latter, as described in the said Letters Patent. The rib on the back of the cutoE plate serves to keep the latter in position, while the dropper-plate can be adjusted laterally on its bar Q. L is a combined seedspout and furrow-opener, formed o'f a sheet of steel bent vertically upon itself, with a rounded fore-foot, its front edgebeing sharp, and its sides daring apart, pendent from a plate, L, bolted tothe under side of each seed-box, or preferably to the frame A under it, To each side is bolted a vertically-adjustable gage-shoe, M, which gages the depth of furrow, and which also levels oft' the ground in the path of the wheel: A laterally-projecting guard, M', also throws aside lumps and clods to level the ground in the path of the marking-plates on the wheels, so that said plates will always leave a clear and well-defined impression in the ground to locate each hill dropped so clearly that the operator can make no mistake in the next round. rIhe furrow-opener thus constructed has at least six inches less friction-surface in the ground than any shoe-rullner used for that purpose, and reduces the vdraft ot' the implement proportionately, While the surface being leveled by the gage-shoes will cause the traction-Wheels to Avary the droppin g-distances less than onuneyen ground.

To raise tbe furrow-openers above the ground, the draft-tongue O is pivoted between hounds projecting in front of tlie frame. A lever, 0 1, is pivoted to a standard on the front girt of the frame A, its sliort arm being con nected by a link with the heel of the tongue. By depressing thelong arm of the lever the front end of' the frame may be raised bodily, and held by locking the long arm of the lever to a spring-hook, O, on the frame. 

